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Shattered Star #77: Onwards to Kaer Maga

At the end of last session, we left our heroes resting in the Star Landing Inn after defeating the amorous Hol and his suspicious bunch of flowers.

After such a victory, talk inevitably turned to the future, and future victories of an even greater magnitude. Several of the party wanted to get back to Kaer Maga as quickly as possible; time was fast running out to raise Zainnis from the dead. Although several of the heroes were intrigued by the stories of marauding goblins and their sinister lord—the Crimson Shadow King—the quest to reunite the disparate shards of the Shattered Star was too important to ignore.

Thus, the next day the party set out for the nearby village of Woodridge where they had been told horses were for sale. Sadly, their trek was not without peril. Several miles outside Star Run Falls, goblins attacked the party. However, the raiders were no match for the adventurers and most were quickly slaughtered. During the battle Ariquis managed to knock down a tree with a lightning bolt—narrowly missing several party members—and the party went to great lengths to hunt down the fleeing goblins. Karellia—quick thinking and perhaps slightly less bloodthirsty than her companions—charmed one of the goblins with the idea of gaining more information about them and their lord. However, it transpired that no one in the party could speak Goblin and the goblin didn’t know Common.

In any event, the goblin tagged along with the party. Luckily, someone in the next village—Woodridge—did speak Goblin and the party learned a little bit more. It transpired the goblins lived in the forest and that the Crimson Shadow King lived below them. At mention of him, the goblin wet his trousers and seemed terrified. Continued pressing by the party sundered Karelia’s charm and the goblin pounced, only to be immediately subdued. This turn of events led to a long discussion about what to do next. Some of the party—particularly Grooble—want to exterminate the goblins while others wanted to get back to Kaer Maga. Finally, those who wanted to push on won the argument and the matter was settled.

With no more need of the goblin, the party gave him to the villagers to deal with as they saw fit. The villagers quickly arranged a hanging. While justice was being carried out the party bought horses and prepared to set out. It was then, Ariquis announced he was leaving the party. He hankered after the peace of Star Run Falls and felt his destiny lay upon a different path. Saying goodbye to Ariquis the rest of the party pushed on. For the next two days, their journey was relatively peaceful and uneventful. However as they passed through the Hestmark Highlands danger suddenly came upon them.

Bursting from the ground at the base of a teetering, unstable cliff a huge armour-plated monster suddenly attacked. Cortana’s horse was badly injured in the initial attack. As the party reacted, the overhanging cliff began to collapse. Karellia shouted a warning to her fellows and most managed to get away in time. Thaladan and Narfu stayed to fight, however, and narrowly avoided the subsequent avalanche.

The beast—now identified as a bulette—was not so lucky and was badly hurt by falling rocks. By the time it burrowed its way out, the adventurers were ready for it. Grooble cleverly used a stone shape to create another rock fall and when the creature struggled out of this second stony deluge, Karellia slew it with a fireball.

The day was now almost done and the party decided to rest. During the two avalanches, several of the heroes had spotted a mass of bones and broken equipment among the rubble. Theorising treasure may yet lie amid the stones, the party extensively searched. Their perseverance was rewarded with a magical falchion, a magical shield and several pieces of jewellery.

Two days later, the party rode into Kaer Maga. They sold their horses and some of the treasures recent found and made their way back to the Therassic Spire. There they updated the librarians on their successful exploration of the forbidden tunnels and collected their reward. With this additional gold they had enough to raise Zainnis from the dead and soon enough the archer was returned to the living. He had also experienced a vision of Windsong Abbey while he was dead, but his vision was more troubling for while he had gazed upon the abbey’s white tower he had been beset by a feeling of dread and anxiety…

Creighton is the publisher at Raging Swan Press and the designer of the award winning adventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey. He has designed many critically acclaimed modules such as Retribution and Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands and worked with Wizards of the Coast, Paizo, Expeditious Retreat Press, Rite Publishing and Kobold Press.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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